A Day at Heyes Lane Primary School

A day in the life of a child at Heyes Lane often begins for some of our children with wrap‑around care at Heyes Hangout, run by Mrs Richardson, Mrs Macdonald and their dedicated team. Children start the morning in a calm, nurturing space where they can play with friends, enjoy a quiet moment with a book or have breakfast before heading to their classrooms.

As families begin to arrive for the start of the school day at 8:40am, staff are always available to greet them at the gates and receive any messages, and they support the children in making their way confidently to their classrooms, where teachers and teaching assistants are ready to welcome them. Children begin their day with morning challenges that are designed to revisit previous learning and strengthen core skills. During this time, teaching assistants complete daily reading with pupils who are developing their fluency and comprehension, while keep up catch up sessions help address misconceptions from the previous day’s learning. Every Monday, children come together in their Key Stages for an assembly focused on a shared theme. These sessions are led by different teachers each week, and sometimes by visiting speakers, giving pupils the chance to learn about topics such as recycling, Black History Month and a wide range of religious and cultural celebrations. Fridays have a very different feel, as we celebrate children’s achievements from across the week. Pupils who are recognised receive a special postcard and enjoy the privilege of eating lunch with Mrs Harkin or Mr Prest - a highlight that many of our children look forward to! 

We focus our morning lessons on core subjects, with English (Reading, Grammar and Writing) and Maths taught through engaging, active activities that blend fluency practice, discussion and the use of concrete, pictorial and abstract methods to deepen understanding. KS1 also take part in daily Phonics sessions.

When playtime arrives, children enjoy a wide range of activities across zoned areas. Activities available include team sports like basketball, football or cricket, skipping, table tennis or exploring the all‑weather running track and trim trail, ensuring play is active, inclusive and varied. Our KS1 children are provided with a piece of fruit, whilst we encourage our KS2 children to bring in a healthy snack to enjoy on the playground.

Lunchtime follows a clear structure, with hot meals ordered through SchoolGrid and children can explore the wider opportunities that our school has to offer, led by our sports coach, Toby and Treadwise Sports with Tom Reid. KS2 pupils can also take part in Choir, which rehearses once a week.

The afternoon is dedicated to the foundation subjects. Children take part in weekly PE lessons, explore creativity in Art and Design Technology and deepen their understanding of the world through Theme lessons that cover History and Geography. Science lessons encourage curiosity and investigative thinking, while Spanish, RE and Music are taught by our PPA team, allowing children to enjoy a broad and balanced curriculum. Before home time, classes often listen to their class text, thereby ending the day on a calm note.

After 3:30pm, learning and enrichment continue across a variety of after‑school clubs, offering everything from sports to creative activities such as art, Musical Theatre, cooking and board games until 4:30pm. For families who need later provision, Heyes Hangout continues into the evening, providing snacks, play opportunities and a warm and friendly environment until 6pm.